these matters; and no less was our glorious father Ignatius, couching in his little book not only variety of matter for meditation, but also several forms of praying for the examination of the conscience, for the application of the interior senses of the soul, and for divers similitudes and parables; and especially he taught three very profitable forms of prayer, accommodated to those who walk in the three ways above mentioned — purgative — illuminative — and unitive, — although they are all three of great profit for them all.
1. The first form of praying is upon the commandments of God — upon the seven capital sins, commonly called the seven deadly sins — upon the three faculties of the soul — and upon the five senses, taking all this for matter of meditation and prayer. This form is proper to those that walk in the purgative way, labouring to cleanse themselves of their sins. And so we will declare this form in the first part, making special meditations of all these things, with the rest that belong to the manner of praying, examination of conscience, and preparing oneself for confession and communion, whereby is purchased purity of soul.
2. The second form of praying is upon words; by taking for matter of meditation some psalm of David, or some sermon or sentence of our Saviour Christ, or some prayer or hymn of the Church, ruminating every word by itself, and drawing forth the spirit and affection that is in them. For as the words of Holy Scripture were dictated by the Holy Spirit, so they have all some mystery worthy of consideration. And as the Church is governed by the same Holy Spirit, so it speaks not a word, but it contains much spirit.
The form of meditating these is, to consider who speaks that word, to whom it is spoken or directed; — to what ends, with what manner and spirit it was spoken; — and what is its signification; — that is to say, what it is that it commands
